Banana hazelnut
chocolate bread
MAKES 1 LOAF
INGREDIENTS
coconut oil spray
almond meal, for coating
2 cups hazelnut meal, plus extra if needed
½ cup LSA or ground flaxseed
3 tbsp psyllium husk (for a fibre hit, but optional)
2 heaped tbsp raw cacao powder
⅓ cup hazelnuts, skins removed, crushed or
chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking powder
⅓ cup roughly chopped dark chocolate or raw
vegan chocolate chunks
3 ripe bananas, mashed
3 eggs
½ cup medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
3 tbsp almond milk (or milk of your choice), plus
extra if needed
2 tbsp virgin organic coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons stevia granules, raw honey or
maple syrup
TO SERVE
½ banana, sliced
almond butter
raw honey
raw cacao powder
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Lightly spray a standard loaf tin with coconut oil
and coat generously with almond meal, tipping
out the excess.
Combine the hazelnut meal, LSA or flaxseed,
psyllium husk (if using), cacao powder, hazelnuts,
cinnamon, baking powder and chocolate in a
large mixing bowl.
In a jug, whisk together the mashed banana,
eggs, dates, milk, coconut oil and sweetener.
Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients
and mix until well combined.
If the batter is too wet, add extra hazelnut meal; if
it is too dry, add more milk.
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and
decorate the top with the sliced banana.
Bake for 45–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted
in the centre comes out clean.
Remove and allow to cool in the tin.
Gently tip the cooled loaf out of the tin and cut
into slices. This is delicious served with almond
butter, honey and a sprinkle of cacao powder.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up
to a week, or wrap individual slices and store in
the freezer for a month.These recipes are taken from
Living the Healthy Life by Jessica
Sepel, RRP $39.99, Macmillan
Australia, and is available now.28 | AUSTRALIAN NATURAL HEALTH naturalhealthmag.com.au